Glioblastoma is one of the most serious types of cancer. This aggressive brain tumor grows very quickly and usually cannot be completely removed with surgery. Even with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, most patients live only a little more than a year after being diagnosed. Fewer than 5% live for more than five years. This is why finding better treatments is so important.
“Glioblastoma is one of the most devastating diagnoses a person can receive. Finding better treatments is our top priority,” says Prof. Johanna Joyce from the University of Lausanne.
Why does the tumor come back?
Joyce and her research team wanted to understand why glioblastomas so often return after treatment. They discovered that treatment itself can trigger a healing response in the brain. This creates scar-like areas that can protect cancer cells that are left behind.
Inside these protected areas, the cancer cells can become inactive, almost as if they are asleep. This allows them to avoid the immune system. Later, they can become active again and start growing.
“We discovered that the treatment itself can create a safe hiding place for tumor cells,” Joyce explains.
A possible new way to treat glioblastoma
Using advanced brain scans and laboratory tests, the researchers found that new tumors almost always develop close to these scar-like areas. This happened regardless of which treatment had been used before.
In early laboratory studies, the researchers were able to reduce the formation of these scars. This led to significantly longer survival in their models. “If we can prevent these scars from forming, we may be able to delay or even prevent the tumor from coming back,” Joyce says.
The findings suggest a possible new approach to treating glioblastoma. In the future, doctors may be able to combine standard treatments with medicines that prevent these protective scar-like areas from forming. This could give many patients new treatment options and hope.
Project number: KFS-5280-02-2021